PM Manmohan Singh congratulates Vladmir Putin for his victory in Duma polls

MOSCOW: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a "very constructive" talks with his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin on Friday evening in which both leaders discussed the entire range of the strategic relations between both the countries.

Singh also congratulated Putin for his party's victory in the recent elections to Duma, which incidentally triggered protests inside Russia. Indian foreign secretary, however, said both the leaders did not discuss the post-poll internal developments in Russia.

Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai said during the meeting between Singh and Putin, both the leaders discussed the developments in international sage, especially in West Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africca.

They also discussed the need for better Indo-Russian cooperation in view of the global economic and financial crisis and underlined the need for enlarging the trade and business ties between both the countries. They also discussed the progress in the pending defence agreements, including that of Russia delivering the fifth generation fighter aircraft and Multi-Role Transport Aircraft.

Singh also got a commitment from Putin that Russia will fulfil the 2012 deadline to deliver aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov (INS Vikramaditya).

During the meting with the Russian President Medvedev, Indian prime minister also formally conveyed its desire for offering an alternative site to the proposed Russian-aided nuclear power project in Haripur in West Bengal which too is facing protests from the local people.